Raising Kids Vegan – Is It Healthy

Despite what friends, family, corporate media, and many others may say there are numerous studies that have proven that you can raise healthy children on a vegan diet. In fact, the American Dietetic Association along with the Children’s National Medical Center in DC and countless other well-respected professionals and organizations have asserted that a well-planned vegetarian diet is appropriate for people at all ages, including children.

That said, the notion that children raised vegan are not healthy is a fabrication to say the least. The fact is that children raised on a vegan diet eat more fruits and vegetables than non-vegan children. Moreover, when compared, vegetarian children get sick less often and have been found to be leaner, have a lower prevalence of obesity, lower BMI, and better lipid profiles. These findings have recently gained a lot of attention in lieu of the childhood obesity epidemic. Why? Because they suggest that the meat, dairy and egg products consumed by non-vegetarian children have an associated risk of obesity while the nutrient, fiber rich diet of vegetarian children reduces their risk of becoming overweight.

The key to raising healthy kids on a vegan diet is good planning. Parents should ensure that their vegetarian child gets adequate amounts of Vitamin B-12, protein and minerals. It is also advised that vegetarian children be given a varied diet including legumes, whole grains, tofu, nuts, seeds, and lots of fresh fruits, leafy green and other mineral-packed vegetables.

Vegan children grow to be well-adjusted, healthy, happy adults. You simply need to educate yourself on how to give them well-planned meals that provide them with all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients that they need to support their developing bodies. In today’s information-based society that will not be a difficult task. Do some independent research, discuss it with your family physician and look to educate yourself about this natural dietary alternative until all your questions are answered and all of your concerns are put to rest. Rest assured though, the probability is very high that you will discover that raising your child vegetarian is one of the few viable healthy dietary options that still exists in this unhealthy world.

Amirah Bellamy is a Vegan Transitional Coach, Vegan Fitness Meal Planning Expert, and Author. To learn more about her fabulous Vegetarian Meal Plans and Healthy Eating eBook or to INSTANTLY grab her FREE Vegetarian Starter Kit go to www.AmirahBFit.com